About Me

I am a writer and a historian. Libraries, books, music, art, pop culture, science fiction, fantasy all that you have read in my bio and more is me. I enjoy hikes on the mountain looking down at my world below. I enjoy listening to the sprinkling of the rain on the rooftop. I have lived a life. That life, all my experiences, finds its way into my writing. I live for the time spent with all my family, friends and familiars for that is what life is about. I am happy when I make someone smile. I am happy with my life and content to wait for what I know the future promises me. Certain treasures in life are simply that important.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

An Act of Kindness

What would you do if you were in your 80s and had about $58,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Take a trip around the world for a wicked goodbye tour? Maybe buy that car you always wanted, but was just too prudent to purchase? Maybe give your home a practical upgrade and just live out the rest of your days in comfort? One anonymous man decided that he wanted to donate it.

People donate money all the time. Nothing really out of the ordinary there, right? There is the old adage you can't take it with you (despite what the Pharaohs thought). No, one octogenarian wanted to something not only nice, but beneficial for the newest generation. He bought books... that's right... ¥6,000,000 worth of books. This man just walked into Kato Shokan, a local bookstore in Kushiro, Hokkaido.

Now let me set up this scene for you. You need to understand how this looked to an average Japanese citizen. This man walked into the equivalent of mom and pop bookstore in Fairbanks, Alaska dropped $58,000 in cash on the counter and said "Go buy a 1000 books each for three grade schools, eh, something the kids would like." I love this guy. One of the school libraries couldn't even absorb all the books. They opened a Santa's Library in a corner in the main hall.

The schools got new dictionaries, grammar books, novels and other materials. This man either had a lot of karma to buy back or he really just wanted to something massively nice before he died. He wanted no credit, no press or adulation for his philanthropy. He just walked in and did it. He surely has a story that he is keeping to himself. Whatever his story is the result is the same - a mark of kindness in the Christmas season.